I came up with a method that seems to work, and everyone is happy and full. I feed them both. I started feeding the Robins up closer to the house. If they come near where the bluebirds are, they get yelled at and scared away. If they stay up close to the house, they get extra. They learn fast. What they don't know is that the best worms go to the blues. *G* They don't need as many since they only have the one mouth to feed. Speaking of which....I hoping the weather will be cooperative tomorrow and I can get at least one picture of the little one. I haven't checked on it in several days, but Mom & Dad both have been staying close by lately and they both go in and out of the box a lot. Last year all my clutches fledged at 2 weeks. That would be Saturday. But I think this one will be slowed down by the cold. Tomorrow will give me a better idea. Thanks for all the ideas you sent me. I really appreciate the help you always offer. tara

How wonderful , I would definatly send this story and photos to Cornell http://www.nestwatch.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=577 , It would be a great story to put on the Cornell nestwatch site. May even want to send to Birds and Blooms mag, they love these stories and we are talking about an unusual nesting in flowers!! I think you get some kind of compensation if B&B uses your story. www.birdsandblooms.com keep us up dated!

I know we have had some raccoon's get into our suet in the past. There's no sign of any kind of struggle, but now the female has not been sitting on the lone egg. I have seen the Male, but not Mom. I saw a female but not too sure if it's her. It sounds like a snake to me, I don't think a Raccoon would be able to climb the pole, but I slicked it up with grease until i can get a baffle up. I don't know if I should take the spooker down yet or not. I'll probably wait another day or two and if I don't see any activity then I'll take it down, or set up my other box.

Susan / catherinet, you do have valid points, nature is nature, especially when it comes to native birds, but you can also look at it as wrens are more than plentiful as well. You may not have problems with them now but the more there are, the more that will be in your yard and like this year it was cool even in May where I am and most of the cavity nesters in my area were just getting started on their firsts nest when the wrens arrived. I see and hear many wrens in my yard and neighborhood so they obviously don't need my help, they are more plentiful than the other species in my yard and less territorial. They will find natural cavities just fine. You know Eastern Bluebirds nearly became extinct after the introduction of house sparrows and European starlings in the last century. With man's help putting up nesting boxes and doing whatever it takes to protect them they have made a tremendous comeback. I like all cavity nesters and gladly share my boxes with any bird unless the species will do other birds harm. So in my yard, house sparrows, starlings, and wrens are out, and Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, Chickadees, Titmice, Nuthatches, and Woodpeckers are in.